Czechoslovakia: Anvil of the Cold War

may perhaps have impelled the Air Ministry to "reconsider the
position... [and provide for the] speedy return of the Czechoslovak
Air Force."34

Air Marshal Janoušek, commander of the squadron, who was soon
to be elevated to assistant chief of staff, and the pilots of the fighters
were officially welcomed on August 13th in Prague by Gen. Bohumil
Boček, chief of the General Staff, who read a short message from Prime Minister Fierlinger soon after the fighters landed. Ambassador Nichols, unable to attend personally, sent his chargé d'affaires, John
Taylor, to the rainy airport ceremony in his place. Nichols later
reported he had "no doubt that the return of the Czechoslovak
Squadron from the United Kingdom had aroused very great interest
and... turned the thoughts of the people towards Great Britain."
Within the week of August 21st, President Beneš took the salute at
the ceremonial march of the Czechoslovak Air Force through Prague.35

The startling political overturn in Great Britain on June 20th,
which unseated Churchill's conservative government in a stunning
victory of the Labour Party, came as a "great surprise in Prague as
everywhere else... General gratification was expressed at the swing
to the left, which was interpreted as the final defeat of the Munich
Men, [although] there was genuine regret at the elimination of Mr. Churchill, who is regarded as a true friend of this country, [and who]
will forever remain to the Czechs the great statesman." It was
generally deemed "that there will be no change in Great Britain's
foreign policy."36

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